Hybrid Refractive-Diffractive Ophthalmic Lens Achromatic Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional glasses struggle with high diopter values, leading to reduced aesthetic appeal and poor wearing comfort, while diffractive optical elements suffer from strong chromatic aberrations and color cross-errors, limiting their effectiveness in correcting visual defects.

Innovation Solution

The use of a first refractive optical substrate with positive or negative optical power, combined with a first and second diffractive optical element having opposite refractive powers, where the sum of their refractive powers is divided by the difference, resulting in a quotient less than 1/10, to achieve achromatic interaction and reduced color cross-errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If diffractive optical elements are used to correct visual defects, then the diopter correction capability is improved, but chromatic aberrations and color cross-errors increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediopter correction capabilityVSAvoidchromatic aberrations
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines a refractive optical substrate with diffractive optical elements to create a hybrid optical system. The refractive substrate provides the primary optical power while the diffractive elements add supplementary diopter correction, allowing the system to achieve higher correction capabilities without the chromatic aberrations that would result from using diffractive elements alone at equivalent power levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the optical parameters by using the refractive index properties of the substrate material to provide the main optical power, while the diffractive elements contribute additional power through their microstructure geometry. This parameter differentiation allows the system to achieve high diopter correction with reduced chromatic dispersion compared to purely diffractive solutions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If high diopter values are used in conventional glasses, then the visual correction effectiveness is improved, but aesthetic appeal and wearing comfort deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual correction effectivenessVSAvoidaesthetic appeal
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the optical correction function into two parts: the refractive substrate provides the base optical power and maintains aesthetic appearance, while the diffractive optical elements provide additional diopter correction in a distributed microstructure pattern. This segmentation allows high correction values to be achieved without requiring the entire lens to have high curvature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The diffractive optical elements are applied locally on the refractive substrate, concentrating the additional diopter correction where needed while preserving the aesthetic quality of the main lens body. The local application of diffractive structures allows high correction effectiveness without compromising the overall lens appearance and wearing comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If a single diffractive optical element is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but chromatic aberrations increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidchromatic aberrations
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges a refractive optical substrate with diffractive optical elements into a single integrated system. This combination leverages the chromatic aberration-correcting properties of refractive optics while maintaining the compact, relatively simple structure of a single optical component, avoiding the need for multiple separate diffractive elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration significantly reduces color cross-errors and allows for a broader range of diopter corrections, enhancing both the aesthetic appeal and wearing comfort of glasses, while also enabling the creation of varifocal and bifocal lenses with improved optical performance.

Implementation Method 1

a first refractive optical substrate (10) having a positive or negative first optical refractive power; a first diffractive optical element (21) having a second optical refractive power; a second diffractive optical element (22) having a third optical refractive power

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Implementation Method 2

a first diffractive optical element (21) having a second optical refractive power; a second diffractive optical element (22) having a third optical refractive power

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffraction: Diffraction

Data Source

PatentEP3391129B1Opthalmological optical element and method for constructing an opthalmological optical element
Publication Date: 2025.04.16 TOOZ TECH GMBH
  • EP3391129B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3391129B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3391129B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to an ophthalmological optical element (1), in particular a spectacle lens, comprising: a first refractive optical substrate (10) which has a positive or negative first optical power; a first diffractive optical element (21) which has a second optical power; a second diffractive optical element (22) which has a third optical power, wherein the first diffractive optical element (21) and the second diffractive optical element (22) have an opposing optical power, and wherein the first diffractive optical element (21) and the second diffractive optical element (22) interact at least partially achromatically. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for constructing an ophthalmological optical element of this type, and spectacles and a head-mounted display device comprising an ophthalmological optical element of this type.